Robb Report

BMW Group has unveiled a new Alpina concept at the 2026 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, offering one of the clearest indications yet of where the luxury performance marque is headed under BMW ownership. Revealed just months after BMW assumed full control of Alpina, the V-8-powered grand tourer blends classic Alpina styling cues with a more contemporary ultra-luxury design language, including illuminated kidney grilles, a highly detailed cabin, and sweeping coupe proportions. While the concept is not expected to enter production, its design is likely to shape future Alpina models. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g4DvMVXm

Home prices are continuing to rise across much of the U.S., though the market is beginning to split along regional lines. A new report from the National Association of Realtors found that prices increased year over year in 71 percent of the 235 metro areas it tracked during the opening months of 2026, with the Northeast and Midwest posting some of the country’s strongest gains. Limited inventory continues to drive prices higher in the Northeast, where median home values climbed 4.9 percent to $506,500. The Midwest also remained resilient, with prices rising 3.6 percent to $308,100. The West, however, has started to cool, recording a 2.9 percent annual decline despite remaining the nation’s most expensive region overall. The upper end of the housing market remains particularly active. Sales of homes priced above $10 million generated more than $38 billion last year, according to Compass, as affluent buyers continued targeting trophy properties in markets like New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g9XGceai

Pocket watches and clocks are making an unexpected comeback as a new generation of collectors looks beyond the hype-driven wristwatch market. At this year’s Watches and Wonders, brands including Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Chopard, Chanel, and Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled everything from elaborate desk clocks to jeweled chess-set timepieces, signaling renewed interest in horological objects designed for the home rather than the wrist. Auction houses are seeing the shift play out in real time. Sotheby’s recently sold the Olmstead Complications Collection, a group of mostly pocket watches, for $22.9 million—more than triple its estimate—while collectors increasingly pursue antique clocks and marine chronometers tied to the heritage of today’s independent watchmakers like F.P. Journe and Raúl Pagès. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gEb7gvss

Padel is quickly emerging as one of the luxury world’s favorite new sports, drawing growing interest from high-net-worth players, luxury brands, and major investors. Originally developed in Mexico and long popular across Spain and Latin America, the doubles-based racket sport has expanded rapidly in the U.S. and Europe as upscale clubs and hospitality groups race to build courts and membership communities around it. Luxury brands including Rolex, Prada, Lamborghini, Richard Mille, and Frederique Constant have all recently entered the space through sponsorships, equipment collaborations, or partnerships with professional leagues and exclusive clubs. At the same time, private operators such as Reserve and Kith have launched members-only padel destinations catering to affluent clientele across New York, Miami, and other major cities. The sport’s growth has accelerated sharply over the past several years, with participation, tournaments, and global court development all climbing at a rapid pace. Industry executives say padel’s appeal lies in its combination of accessibility, social interaction, and strong overlap with luxury sectors including fashion, wellness, hospitality, and real estate. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gVe2jBcd

What started as an ambitious experiment has quickly evolved into one of the most compelling spectacles in sport. SailGP has transformed high-performance sailing into a fast, broadcast-friendly global competition, where identical F50 foiling catamarans hit speeds north of 50 mph and races unfold with all the intensity of Formula 1. Backed by heavyweights like Larry Ellison and co-founded with Russell Coutts, the league now boasts deep-pocketed team owners, celebrity investors including Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, and a rapidly expanding global footprint. With rising team valuations, a multimillion-dollar prize purse, and a growing broadcast audience, SailGP has effectively cracked the code for professional sailing, blending cutting-edge technology, elite athleticism, and high-stakes competition into a format that’s as thrilling for newcomers as it is for die-hard fans. Read more: bit.ly/4cTPGEp

On the winding roads and racetrack of northern Spain, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd’s long-awaited Aston Martin Valhalla proves to be more than just a headline grabber. With 1,064 hp drawn from a twin-turbo V-8 and a trio of electric motors, the limited-run flagship delivers blistering performance, hitting 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds while pairing Formula 1–inspired aerodynamics with surprising composure. Tested at Circuito de Navarra, the carbon-fiber machine showcases over 1,300 pounds of downforce, razor-sharp handling, and a hybrid system that seamlessly balances brute force with precision. Yet beyond the raw numbers, what defines the Valhalla is its duality, equally capable of track-day ferocity and grand touring refinement. It marks a decisive turning point for Aston Martin, blending cutting-edge engineering with the marque’s signature elegance in a way that feels both transformative and unmistakably on brand. Read more: bit.ly/4tAoP7a

Olson Kundig has reimagined the mountain retreat with Cedar Peak House, a striking residence tucked into Yellowstone Club that trades chalet clichés for glass, light, and seamless immersion in nature. Set beneath Lone Peak in Big Sky, the 6,800-square-foot home pairs rugged materials like concrete and steel with expansive glazing that pulls the surrounding landscape into every room. The defining feature is a 60-foot glass bridge that connects the main residence to a separate ski and sports facility, blurring the line between architecture and experience. It’s a project that encapsulates the firm’s ethos, balancing raw alpine conditions with refined, highly livable design, and offering a glimpse into the elevated lifestyle inside one of the country’s most exclusive enclaves. Read more: bit.ly/41VJuXq

High above Menton, a singular vision of art and architecture is back on the market. Les Colombières—the early 20th-century creation of artist Ferdinand Bac—was conceived as a seamless dialogue between home and landscape, where frescoed interiors spill into seven-plus acres of terraced gardens, winding paths, and Mediterranean plantings. The 5,800-square-foot residence unfolds as a series of interconnected spaces, layered with Bac’s original murals, mosaic details, and Moorish- and Italian-inspired flourishes, all oriented toward the sea. Once a gathering place for cultural figures like Jean Cocteau, the estate remains a living work of art—now meticulously restored and protected as a historic monument. Listed for $13.5 million, it’s less a home than a fully immersive composition on the Côte d’Azur. Read more: bit.ly/4d5dw03

BMW is elevating its flagship once again with a sweeping refresh of the BMW Group US 7 Series that puts the spotlight squarely on the cabin. While the exterior tweaks are subtle, the interior has been rethought from the ground up, led by the new Panoramic iDrive display that stretches across the base of the windshield and a tech-heavy rear suite anchored by a 31-inch Theater Screen. The update aligns the sedan with the brand’s evolving Neue Klasse design language, a shift designer Maximilian Missoni says was a natural progression for a model long defined by presence and innovation. Offered with gas, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric powertrains including the BMW i7, the latest 7 Series doubles down on its dual identity as both a driver’s car and a rolling first-class lounge, signaling where BMW sees the future of luxury mobility heading. Read more: bit.ly/4ub2BIY

Robb Report’s Culinary Masters is heading to New Orleans, and the opening night gala is shaping up to be a celebration of the city’s rich culinary DNA. Hosted at Chemin à la Mer inside the Four Seasons New Orleans, the multi-course dinner brings together a roster of acclaimed chefs, each contributing a dish inspired by the global influences that define the Big Easy, from West Africa and the Caribbean to France. The evening begins with canapés from Four Seasons Hotel and Residences New Orleans executive chef Dario Montelvere, followed by standout courses like Serigne Mbaye’s poached red snapper with yassa sauce, a nod to his Senegalese roots. Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy will collaborate on a French-influenced duck dish, while Chris Shepherd offers a Gulf Coast twist with steak au poivre layered with Vietnamese flavors. Closing out the night, Tavel Bristol-Joseph delivers a Caribbean-inspired tres leches, rounding out a menu that reflects both the diversity and depth of New Orleans cuisine. Read more: bit.ly/41XcxcY